1. Field
The present disclosure relates to an apparatus and a method for increasing evaporation rates of solutions within sample containers or wells by drying air flowing into the sample container. Herein after “air” is defined to include any gas, including atmospheric air, that may be used for drying samples.
2. Background Information
Sample concentrators are prevalent in processing liquid solutions containing a sample material or materials of interest. Materials of interest are typically synthesized, modified, and purified, in solution-based process steps. To recover these dissolved non-volatile materials as dry powders, or to increase the concentration of compounds, vacuum centrifuges, freeze drying, and blow down concentrators are commonly used.
Vacuum concentrators and freeze dryers generally require a powerful vacuum pump to produce the low levels of ambient pressure necessary to promote the ejection and escape of solvent molecules from the surface of the solution. These solvent molecules migrate to the lower concentration region of a cold trap solvent collection container and condense into liquid and/or freeze into ice.
Blow-down concentrators generally create a continuous flow of a small amount of air onto the surface of the liquid solution. The air flow may promote the escape of solvent molecules from the solution container that are then carried away in the flow of air out an exhaust port. Flow rates may be typically 1 or 2 liters/minute to prevent loss of solution or dry compound from the sample container.
In one example a jet of blow-down air is directed into the opening of test tube containing liquid to be evaporated. Due to the form factor of a test tube, the incoming and exiting streams of air occupy the same region, turbulent interaction occurs, and the air may exit without nearing the liquid surface. A laminar high volume flow of blow-down air striking the surface of the liquid is the goal, but it may not be achieved due to the turbulence.